Safety diaper pins



18, 1964 R. v. DEAN 3,144,691

SAFETY DIAPER PINS Filed Jan. 19, 1962 FIG. .10. 30:

54 30 J74 /4 FIG. 13. 32- INVENTOR- 2 /4 205527 V. 054/14 I 76.12. 32 BY 147' 7 GENE Y6.

United States Patent 3,144,691 SAFETY DIAPER PINS Robert V. Dean, 2631 Gaynor Ave., Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. Filed Jan. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 167,334 3 Claims. (Cl. 24--1) This invention relates to novel safety pins for securing the ends of diapers together.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of diaper pins of the kind indicated which have no points which could injure the baby or the attendant applying or removing the diaper pin.

Another object of the invention is the provision of diaper pins of the character indicated above which comprises flexible cord loops adapted to be passed through folds of the ends of a diaper, and flexible and resilient tensioning means securably connected at one end to one end of the loops and releasably engaged at their other ends with the other ends of the loops, whereby the loops are held in taut condition.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a diaper pin of the present invention, showing the same in closed condition;

FIGURE 2 is a view like FIGURE 1, showing the pin in open condition;

FIGURES 3 and 4 are top plan views of FIGURES 1 and 2, respectively;

FIGURE 5 is a schematic view showing the loop of a safety pin secured to a needle and in process of being drawn through folds of the ends of a diaper;

FIGURE 6 is a View like FIGURE 5, showing the loop drawn through the folds and tensioned by the tightening means;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation of another safety pin of the present invention, showing the same in open condition;

FIGURE 8 is a view like FIGURE 7, showing the safety pin in closed condition;

FIGURES 9 to 11 are side elevations of different loop inserting needles;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the needle of FIGURE 9 engaged in a loop and longitudinally aligned therewith;

FIGURE 13 is a similar view showing the needle turned to one side of and spreading the loop to receive the hook of an arm.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like and related numerals designate like and related parts throughout the several views, and first to FIGURES 1 through 6, the diaper pin thereon shown, and generally designated 12, comprises an elongated closed cord loop 14 of any suitable material, including nylon and Dacron, having first and second ends 16 and 18, respectively. A loop tightening member comprises a flexible and resilient wire arm 20 which is longer than the loop 14 and is bowed between its ends, in a direction away from the loop 14. The arm 20 has an upturned hook 22 on its free or first end, and a closed circular upstanding eye 24 on its second end. The second end 18 of the cord loop 14 is engaged through the arm eye 24.

As shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 and 9 to 11, the first end 16 is adapted to be drawn through folds 26 of diaper ends 28, by suitable means, such as a needle 30, having a lateral notch 32 at one end and a piercing point 34 at its opposite end. The first end 16 of the cord loop 14 is 3,144,691 Patented Aug. 18, 1964 adapted to be engaged in the notch 32, whereat the point 34 of the needle is passed through the folds 26 until the cord loop 14 extends through and beyond the folds 26, whereat the arm 20 is compressed endwise and its hook 22 engaged with the first end 16 of the loop 14 and the arm released, so that the arm resiles and tautens or tightens the loop 14 and the safety pin is in closed condition. To remove the safety pin from the folds 26, the arm 20 is again compressed endwise and the hook 22 disengaged from the first end 16 of the cord loop 14 and the cord loop pulled out of the folds.

The needle 30 is straight, as shown in FIGURE 9, but can be longitudinally curved, as shown in FIGURE 10, or L-shaped, as shown in FIGURE 11, wherein the needles are severally designated 30a and 30b.

The form of safety pin shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, and generally designated 12a, comprises an elongated flexible loop 14a, similar to the loop 14 of FIGURES 1 through 6, but has a different tensioning arm 20a.

The tensioning arm 20a comprises an elongated tube 36 having closed first and second ends 38 and 40, respectively. A downwardly offset closed rigid eye 24a is externally fixed, as indicated at 42, to the second end 40 of the tube, and has an end of the cord loop 14a securably engaged therethrough. The first end 38 of the tube 36 has a central opening 44 through which a rod 46 slides. The rod 46 has an upturned hook 22a, on its outer end, and has a stop collar 48 adjacent to its inner end. A coil spring 50 is circumposed on the rod 46 and is compressed between the stop collar 48 and the second end 40 of the tube 36, whereby the rod 46 is urged out of the tube 36, with the hook 22a engaged with the other end of the cord loop 14a for tensioning the same. The loop 14a is adapted to be drawn through folds 26 in the same manner as hereinabove set forth.

As shown in FIGURES 9, 10 and 11, the needles are formed, adjacent the ends remote from their piercing points, with angled notches 34, 34a, and 34b, to receive an end of the loop 14. The adjacent ends of the needles are squared off and are formed with transverse grooves 54, 54a, and 54b, respectively, which seat an end 56 of a loop, as shown in FIGURES 12 and 13. The purpose of the grooves is to enable spreading the loop 14, to more easily receive the hook 22 on the resilient arm 20, by moving the needles sidewise, relative to the length of the loop, so that, in the dark or under other conditions of poor vision, the loop 14 can be accurately engaged over the arm hook 22, with assurance, by touch, after the needle has been drawn through the material.

Although there have been shown and described preferred forms of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A safety diaper pin comprising an elongated nonstretchable cord loop having first and second ends, a resilient and flexible member longer than the loop, said member being longitudinally-compressible and havng first and second ends, said second end of the loop being secured to the second end of said member, a hook on the first end of said member releasably engaged with the first end of the loop, the member being compressed and tautening the cord loop, said member comprising an elongated tube having first and second end walls, an eye on said second end wall through which the second end of the cord loop is secured, said first end wall being formed with an opening, an outwardly spring-pressed rod working through said opening, said hook being on the outer end of the rod.

2. A device of the character described comprising an elongated straight tube having first and second end walls, an eye fixed on said second end wall, said first end wall being formed with an opening, an outwardly springpressed rod working through said opening, said rod having a lateral hook on its outer end, a non-stretchable cord shorter than the combined lengths of the tube and the exposed part of the rod, said cord being secured at one end to said eye and comprising a loop releasably engaged over the rod hook.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein said eye and said hook extend laterally beyond one side of the tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 335,138 Merrill Feb. 2, 1886 451,419 Dow Apr. 28, 1891 700,208 Lafo et al May 20, 1902 Koenig Apr. 12, Nicodemus Aug. 10, Glassman Apr. 10, Kane Nov. 11, Widmark June 29, Thompson June 17, Marion Mar. 26, Wilson Apr. 8, Bilsky Nov. 11, Lippard Mar. 24, Gresham et al. Aug. 29,

FOREIGN PATENTS France Sept. 22, Germany July 6, Great Britain Great Britain July 6, Norway Aug. 18, 

1. A SAFETY DIAPER PIN COMPRISING AN ELONGATED NONSTRETCHABLE CORD LOOP HAVING FIRST AND SECOND ENDS, A RESILIENT AND FLEXIBLE MEMBER LONGER THAN THE LOOP, SAID MEMBER BEING LONGITUDINALLY-COMPRESSIBLE AND HAVING FIRST AND SECOND ENDS, SAID SECOND END OF THE LOOP BEING SECURED TO THE SECOND END OF SAID MEMBER, A HOOK ON THE FIRST END OF SAID MEMBER RELEASABLY ENGAGED WITH THE FIRST END OF THE LOOP, THE MEMBER BEING COMPRESSED AND TAUTENING THE CORD LOOP, SAID MEMBER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED TUBE HAVING FIRST AND SECOND END WALLS, AN EYE ON SAID SECOND END WALL THROUGH WHICH THE SECOND END OF THE CORD LOOP IS SECURED, SAID FIRST END WALL BEING FORMED WITH AN OPENING AN OUTWARDLY SPRING-PRESSED ROD WORKING THROUGH SAID OPENING, SAID HOOK BEING ON THE OUTER END OF THE ROD. 